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TAKING A ROAD TRIP, OH MY! In 2013, my family of 3 became a family of 6, interesting human beings, (7 if you count the dog). This required a little more brain power on my part. My Mom and brothers live 500 miles away so taking a road trip several times a year is pretty common for this crazy bunch. We have also taken an amazing road trip to Washington D.C., in the summer of 2016, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last summer.

Most people have a vehicle that holds 5 people because the average family size is only 4. Naturally, Patrick had one of those vehicles. Luckily for us, I have a Jeep Commander that seats 7 people. So, woohoo, I have the Mom vehicle, which is okay because I love my Jeep. Patrick has a Jeep Cherokee which is completely out for traveling unless it is just the 2 of us (like that ever happens) or for whatever reason, all of the children aren’t traveling with us.

Choosing Your Next Road Trip Vehicle

SEATING

This is kind of a no brainer. You obviously need to select a vehicle that will hold your family, comfortably. As our teenagers get older, it becomes more fun to fit them in my vehicle because they are taller. The back row is more suited for younger children as there is not much leg room. Definitely check out Cars.com for some amazing vehicles to dins out which is the best for your next family road trip.

FUEL MILEAGE

Unfortunately for me, my Jeep does not get the most spectacular gas mileage. This was one of the things that I did not look into very well when I purchased it. I have found a way to get past that because I love everything about it. If it is within your budget to afford the additional fuel cost, I say go for whatever vehicle you love most. If it’s an issue, be sure to look for more fuel efficient vehicle.

PACKING SPACE

The larger your family, the more difficult this part becomes, especially when you throw a dog into the mix. If you can’t find that perfect road trip vehicle, with enough storage space, you may want to opt for a rooftop carried or a hitch carrier. We actually have both because our stuff seems to pile up pretty quickly. Everyone needs to take a blanket and a pillow with them, for some reason. I am not a car person and most SUVs are equipped with sufficient storage room. Space is important all the time, not just when you are traveling.

OPTIONS

No one likes to be uncomfortable when going on long drives. While options will up your cost a bit, you will be happy you did it in the end. Something for me that is very important is cruise control. Driving 8 hours can be pretty tiresome and this makes it much more tolerable for me. Who wants to take a road trip that long and be uncomfortable? Not me! The second thing, which really isn’t an “option” per say, the distance that the steering wheel tilts is a deal breaker. I simply can not drive if the steering wheel doesn’t tilt all the way down. It’s very uncomfortable to have my hands tilted back to much while driving. We also love to Off-Road so there were many other key factors that we personally considered. You will be able to find all of the details on your next vehicle by looking on Cars.com

What vehicle will you drive on your next road trip and where will this road trip be taking you?